Many anglers expected the sunfish spawn to start a bit early this year. Those anglers were correct in their expectations.

The sunfish spawn is in full swing, with beds dotting the bottom of shallow water areas, and fish biting like crazy. With-out question, it’s the best and most fun panfish action of the year.

On average the sunfish spawn, and best fishing, occurs about the second week of June. We are easily a week early this year.

Now is the time to get in your boat, and cruise the shallow water areas next to the shoreline looking for small saucer-shaped beds dug out in the gravel bottom. When you find them, back off a bit and cast a simple hook and bobber setup over the beds and you’ll catch fish, almost guaranteed.

Best baits include angle-worms, wax worms, small leeches and a few of the new artificials that are out. Sometimes when the fish are really biting, a bare jig will even catch fish.

Good lakes in our area for the sunfish spawn include Granite, Ramsey, Waconia Mary, the western bays of Lake Minnetonka, Sarah, Black, Mud, and the north end of Howard.